Love Advice
by Chicken Yuki
Summary: It was yet another normal brooding day for Jamie of The Jamie Ranch, until Lyla made a surprise visit. Some of the giftshop owner's backstory is revealed as she tries to coax Jamie into confessing his love for Jill.
1. Prologue

"Hi Jamie!" a cheerful girl's voice cried out.

In the fields of his own purple abode, a young rancher turned around to face the source of the cry. This character was a feminine-looking rancher with lavender hair and brooding ice blue eyes and a scowl. A tilted cowboy hat rested atop the rancher's head, and most of the body was wrapped up with a poncho lined up with various shades of violet.

The lone rancher exhaled and quietly waved back, expressing subtle hints of aggravation.

His eyes met a little girl with light brown hair fixed in pigtails and expressive, chocolate brown eyes. She wore a casual pink vest over a white t-shirt and red scarf, and light blue jean shorts. She carefully held in her arms a jar of blueberry jam which was labeled with an adorable drawing of a harvest sprite in blue.

"I brought you your morning jam today! This time I decided to go along with my personal homemade brand! I even drew my own Harvest Sprite mascot on it, see?" she exclaimed.

Jamie nodded to himself and found his cheeks redden slightly. "This is new. It's the first time she actually gave me a jam she made herself. She usually reserves this sort of thing for that wandering fisherman" he thought to himself.

The quiet rancher then carefully observed the little Harvest Sprite and its bright smile. She's actually a good artist, too. It looks just like the one in the Harvest Spring" he noted. The strong, silent rancher would've cracked a smile at that moment, if only he was used to such a thing.

"T-t... Thank you again, Jill. This is... different" Jamie uttered.

The lively girl nodded vigorously. "You're welcome!" she answered with a big grin. "I heard you don't like your Jams excessively sweet, so I cut down just for you!"

The redness in Jamie's eyes increase. "I suppose... out of all the things I could complain about the jams I loved so much... it would be that the sugar cuts down on the natural flavor... this... might actually taste better thanks to to her..."

The bashful rancher simply nodded in silence as a means of thanks.

"Well, I hope you enjoy it! I'm off to go foraging in Mt. Moon now! I even heard Ray should be fishing on the waterfall; so hopefully, I'll be able to catch him in the mean time! Bye!"

The excited farmer marched gleefully towards the Mountain, leaving an exasperated Jamie sighing to himself.

"Ray... right" he thought to himself.

Once again, the young rancher found himself all alone, allowing him to focus on his usual morning work. Jamie placed his precious jar of Jam in a safe place by the main building before proceeding on watering his plants. But just as the cowboy was about to pour another drop of water...

"I suppose the girl's still after Mr. Fisherman, huh?"

Again, Jamie found himself in the presence of another "distraction". He turned once more to see a spunky young lady chocolate-brown hair was styled in two curvy ponytails held up in green ribbons. Her big, jade eyes sparkled in the day sun. She wore a trendy green blazer over a black sleeveless top, with a matching green skirt at below. Most notable of all is the big copper hammer she held in her right hand.

"Rothe..." he groaned with slight horror.

"Looks like you're still not having as much as you wanted with little Jill, huh?" the trendy woman casually teased.

"Looks like you're still in a long-distance relationship with an army boy who isn't even aware of it" Jamie smartly answered.

The lady named Rothe nodded calmly. "Yep, looks like we're two nut jobs in the same boat, huh?"

She then approached the farmer with a more sincere smile. "That Jill's a good kid, I'll admit. Despite how childish she can get, she's really dependable. Guess that's one of the qualities you have to admire about her, huh?"

"What are you doing here, anyway?" Jamie demanded in aggravation.

"Believe it or not, I'm actually concerned about your little situation. Knowing our heroine, she'll be pursuing poor Ray until he finally gets into a relationship, or until he returns her feelings." She noted. "So then, are you going to be okay with this? I would suggest not badmouthing that fisherman in front of me. I'm better friends with him than you, after all"

Jamie sighed. "You have nothing to worry about, then. We've crossed paths dozens of times in this small village, to be completely honest, he doesn't annoy me at all. For some reason, being mad at him would feel like getting mad at myself" he admitted.

"Oh, that's a surprise. I've seen you mad at yourself plenty of times!" Rothe grinned.

The agitated farmer winced. "Right..."

"Anyway, I wouldn't worry about it. Ray's been talking about how bad he's had it for Maria lately. I think it'll only be a matter of moments before he finally confesses. I don't know how much Jill will be able to handle, but I have a strong feeling she'll be running to you for comfort. It's clear you two are on very good terms" Rothe pointed out.

Jamie's expression changed to vague depression. "It... doesn't sound right. Taking advantage of something like that would be like stooping to the level of those I loathe..."

Rothe nodded in acknowledgement. "True. Wow... I've been sounding more devious lately." she laughed.

"No... I think you meant to say that with good intention. Your way of compassion is... strange..." Jamie explained.

Rothe's laughter quickly switched into a nervous tone. "Yeah... that sounds like something Ein once told me..."

The two of them exchanged peculiar glares, then quickly turned their heads like nothing happened.

"Listen. Whatever Jill does is her own business. If she still wants to pursue him, I'm not going to interfere. Besides, she's completely aware of what it is she's dealing with. I'm just gladly she's not lowering herself in the process..." he explained.

"You and your little honor system..." Rothe groaned. "Whatever. I'm off to the mines! Smashing rocks and picking up ore is a really fun morning activity for some reason! Plus, it gets me money!" she exclaimed.

The sassy city lady made an about face and was about ready to head to the mines, before a pointy-eared dog cut her off.

"Good luck... with Ein." Jamie uttered.

Rothe nodded in acknowledgement as she stared at the dog. "Right. Thanks."

She then swerved away from the black dog as she proceeded to the mines.

"That's creepy... it's like the dog can read his master's mind" she thought to herself.

Again, the concerned rancher continued to water his crops. Over time, he made considerable progress watering a few rows. He was just to finish up when he heard melodious humming approaching him. He turned around once more to see yet another visitor, who brought a plate of chestnut cake along with her.

This particular visitor had, wavy pink hair decorated with flowers on the side. She wore a dark blue dress-apron over a puffy white shirt and flowery yellow dress. She also had a consistent smile that went along with her cheerful attitude.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Jamie." the mature young lady chirped.

Jamie shrugged. "I'm surprised to see you around here, Lyla. Shouldn't you be setting up shop at this time?"

Lyla shook her head. "Actually, it's Monday, so it's my day off. I thought it would be nice to talk to you today, since we rarely ever have the time" she insisted.

The doubtful rancher gave her a glance of suspicion. "This is another one of your husband's hair-brained schemes, isn't it?" he snapped.

Again, Lyla shook her head. "Honestly, I'm doing this on my own accord. Must you always suspect my Darling Jack of plotting and scheming?" she giggled.

"... You're his partner in crime. Do you expect me to trust you?" Jamie asked.

The kindly young woman let out a wistful sigh before giving up her peace offering.

"Here. I know how much you love chestnuts, and I gave it my all to ensure a successful product" she insisted.

Jamie took a whiff of cake and blissfully took in the hint of chestnut. For one reason or another, he enjoys the taste of chestnut almost as much as Jam. After looking at it for a few more minutes, the rancher hesitantly took the plate from Lyla's grasp before heading into his main building.

"... Fine... was is it that you wanted again?" Jamie asked.

"I wanted to have a conversation with you." Lyla said.

"About what?" Jamie questioned.

Lyla's usual smile widened, but the rest of her body suggested feelings of unease.

"About your relationship...with Jill..." Lyla answered, with her voice trailing off.

The violet rancher took a few more steps closer to his home until Lyla's words suddenly sink in. Jamie then froze on the spot with his cold eyes still facing the purple door.

Lyla also remained in standing. She watched by anxiously, awaiting Jamie's response.

After a long period of eerie silence, the brooding rancher finally opened his mouth.

"Not... Another... Word..."


	2. Lyla

**Harvest Moon: Magical Melody**

**Love Advice**

After Jamie finally finished up with his morning chores, the reluctant couple entered his purple home. While Jamie ate his chestnut cake silently, the eager Lyla was desperate for any topic of conversation.

"So, how about that Harvest Chef competition? It was kinda a surprise how Katie came on top like that, huh? Carl must really be proud of her progress!" Lyla mentioned.

Jamie merely sat at his kitchen table and proceeded to chew his cake.

The curious gift shop owner nodded to herself.

"The Fall Horse Race festival was really exciting to watch! Who knew Doctor Alex could ride a horse with such skill? He looked really dashing in his white lab coat in one of the earlier races! And in that final race... you were really impressive out there! You blew past Kurt and Blue easily, but then it was practically a struggle between you and Gwen! It must've been upsetting when Gwen managed to pull away with the win at the end like that, but at leat the inn has a new Cool TV, now!"

The anti-social rancher stared at his cake for a brief moment before he slowly turned his head.

"Trying to change the subject isn't going to work. Neither is flattering me..." he uttered in a monotone voice.

Lyla shrugged. "I guess... despite everything that's been happening lately, you're still a little down about life, aren't you?" she answered sympathetically.

Again, Jamie stared at his cake once again. He then took a bite and chewed slowly. After finally swallowing his portion, he let out a big sigh.

"You know... there is such a thing as being too considerate..." he clearly uttered.

Lyla gazed at him curiously. Her usually smile widened out of flattery, but the rest of her body shook.

"I see. That's an interesting statement..." she answered.

Jamie took yet another bite and chewed slowly and carefully for a long time before swallowing.

"I admit that you remind me... of her... if only a little..." Jamie muttered.

The pink-haired beauty slowly took a few steps closer to Jamie.

"Her? You mean I actually remind you of the Harvest Goddess? That's sweet of you to say!" she answered in a thoroughly thankful tone.

Jamie nodded slowly. "Except... those yearnings of romance disrupt whatever respect you deserve. It's... disgusting... selfish... Things I've come to loathe." he admitted.

Lyla sighed. "You may actually have a point. I still look back on past moments here with a heavy heart, and if I recall correctly, you were actually much more considerate to me before."

Jamie turned his head and briefly glanced at Lyla with regret before continuing his cake.

At that moment, both of them recalled meeting in the Flower Festival and secretly lamented over the loss of the Harvest Goddess' former holiday.

_Author's Note: Okay, what was planned to be yet another semi-long oneshot "evolved" into a short story with a bunch of really short chapters. Not only that, but what was originally supposed to be a simple romance story with a humorous conversation on Jamie's reluctance changed into the continuation of a former fanfic, "A Prelude To a Farmer's Romance". Yep, I wasn't intending to it in the beginning, but I'm showing what I consider Lyla's dark side. Heh, I guess I'll take this time to apologize to my in-game wife for doing this to her. ;)_


	3. Between Two Old Friends

**Chapter 2**

Lyla remembered the day she officially moved to the village. Unbeknownst to the gift shop proprietor, she was able to begin her business thanks to the dedication of his destined husband, Jack, but the farmer at that time was far too shy about love to reveal his efforts and his motivation.

It seemed fated that the first person she ran into was the hesitant rancher himself. While they never really communicated much, the two of them would exchange a few words together, and, when he actually felt like it, Jamie would even help out the gift shop now and then. Even when Basil the botanist came into the picture and befriended the fair lady, this quiet relationship remained stable between the two of them, until Lyla's love life came into the picture.

The rancher's eyes narrowed. "It wasn't right to do that. Especially as a means to fufill your romantic fantasies" he growled. "In that way, you might actually be an even worse manipulator than your husband..."

For the first time in a while, Lyla's usual smile went upside down. "...I'm... I'm sorry..." she uttered with a heavy breath.

After finding herself into really good terms with Basil, the shy inventor Louis arrived.

He had short, messy black hair and had to wear glasses due to his poor eyesight. He also wore an olive green work shirt and khaki pants with a maroon tie.

He was thoroughly in awe of Lyla's beauty, and was more than welcome to contribute to the shop. Unfortunately, his introverted nature, along with Basil's generosity towards Lyla, was two major obstacles that stood in his way.

In his mind, hearty botanist more than trumped the poor inventor. Basil's healthy body gleamed in comparison to Louis' weak constitution. Also, his interest and extensive knowledge in plants seemed to fascinate Lyla way more than his "peculiar" interests in minerals and dark, narrow places.

Despite his lack of self confidence, Lyla had a talent for noticing romantic feelings, and was aware of Louis' for quite some time. However, the aspiring romantic had pictured the ideal fantasy, and hoped Louis would fulfill it for her.

For weeks, she was patient, being momentarily content with Louis' acts of kindness. All that time, she imagined the spectacled patron to gather up his courage and woo her with the most heart-warming confession she would experience.

At the same time, a frustrated Jamie secretly knew what was going on, and persistently tried to persuade Lyla from continuing her little farce.

* * *

"Please... stop this. Don't you think this little love game has gone far enough? Just say what you must to Louis and take away the tension, already!" He demeaned while inLyla'sgift shop one day.

Lyla released a wistful sigh. "You aren't mature enough to understand, Dear Jamie. This is my one chance at true love, and it must be special. In order for everything to be perfect, Louis must be able to rise above his personal obstacles in order to become my knight in shining armor. I know how shy he is, but I can feel the passion burning inside of him. I'm sure he'll find his inner strength one day. Why can't you have confidence in him?" she explained.

The rancher growled. "Quit trying to live out your little fantasies! Your little "fairy tale notions" of love are nothing but lies! Everything doesn't just conveniently fall into place to create a "happily ever after" ending! It almost NEVER works like that!"

Lyla giggled, slightly amused by her friend's answer. "It's a shame that you hold on to your pessimistic beliefs like that. Maybe on that special day, when you finally open your heart to someone, will you understand what it is I aspire to accomplish!" she smiled.

The desperate rancher lowered his head as he recalled the beautiful face of the Harvest Goddess, and how grateful he felt for being cared for by her. "No... you're wrong... I was loved by her, and I loved her, but now she's turned to stone by filthy human hearts. She left me here all alone, and now I don't even understand what to do to get her back" he thought.

He then looked at pink-haired beauty in the eyes, seeing one he viewed as the mortal incarnation of his precious Goddess being corrupted by her idealized view of romance. "Will you PLEASE get your head out of the clouds just for a moment and LISTEN to what I have to say?" he pleaded.

"I want... to feel my heart skip on the day he tells me. I want to experience the warmth of when we first embrace. I feel so close to true love, and yet, simply knowing isn't enough. Louis loves me, and I know that in return I will love him back even more with the heart he possesses" she uttered in yearning.

Jamie shook his head in disgust, but part of him understood what it was she hoped for. Still, he could not approve of her methods. "You're using your close friendship with Basil to make him jealous! You're just sitting back and waiting for him to make the first move! All you're doing is toying with his emotions with some crazed belief that he'll make your dreams come true! Do really comprehend what's going on? You're too cought up in your romance with Louis that you don't even realize--"

The rancher stopped himself before revealing something of greater significance. He remembered the sudden change of habits his rival Jack made. Ever since Lyla moved in, Jack was hoarding blueberries throughout the village, with little intention of selling them. At first, Jamie believed they were a gift for the sickly maiden Dia, as heard that the two of them have been getting along really well recently, until he heard from Lyla about his ample generosity involving those same blueberries. In any case he couldn't find that treasured fruit, the friendly farmer would share a jar of Blueberry Jam with her. Overall, he noted Jack's increasingly frequent travels to Hearty Lyla, and realized his rival farmer was really interested in her friend.

Still, he was not about to help his hated rival in pursuing his love life. At this time, he would rather die in a putrid wasteland than aid him in anything.

"I don't realize what?" Lyla asked curiously.

Jamie shook his head. "Never mind that, it's nothing" he answered.

But the gift shop owner wasn't convinced. "No, really, I'd like to hear what you have to say" she insisted.

Again, the icy-eyed cowboy shook his head. "Honestly, it's not important" he assured her.

"Are you jealous?" Lyla abruptly asked.

Jamie froze up, his body swelling with a rage beyond anything his rival could ever provoke.

"That's the last straw," he thought to himself furiously.

In the midst of the complicated love story unfolding in Flower Bud Village, Jamie wanted nothing to do it. His heart had been betrayed by humans far too long in his life time, and the only one he had ever truly loved had turned herself to stone. With the dire situation before him, the diligent rancher wanted nothing more than to save him. At this point in time, pursuing love with a human was frivolous. If anything, such a thing was little more than a joke to him.

"If I stay involved in this, I'll only serve to further complicate her romantic fantasies. There's no way am I going to be dragged into this drama" he thought in frustration.

Jamie then made his way towards the door. "Lyla, I don't know how long you'll be attached to your foolish romance, but I don't want any part of it, understand?" he shouted.

The disgruntled rancher then marched out of Hearty Lyla, effectively abandoning a friendship in the process.

For a long time, the startled young lady gazed upon the slammed door. It was until later that Jamie's words started sinking in..

* * *

A few days after the incident with Jamie, a nervous Louis came to fix up a new invention for the gift shop. Again, he was disheartened and jealous of how happy Basil seemed to make Lyla. Only this time, he finally learned of his other potential Rival, Jack, as he happened to visit while at work.

As the two rivals were left alone in the gift shop, for the first time in his whole life, the spectacled inventor snapped and attacked the hapless farmer, ruining some of the shop's inventory in the process. Somehow, as both men were forced out of the shop in their confrontation, a clueless Lyla confused Louis' act of violence as an act of bravery, believing that he saved the farmer from falling Jam jars. Weary from his outburst, the fatigued inventor had to return to the Work Shop.

This left Lyla with a greater sense of ambiance for Louis, and Jack with a sense of rejection. Still, the two were together to clean up the store, but a dejected Jack felt it was necessary to help out Lyla in starting a relationship with Louis.

After that day, Lyla expressed even more gratitude for his personal project, and became increasingly affectionate towards Louis, which coaxed a confession from him the following week. The happy couple enjoyed their relationship for a couple of weeks until Jack's sudden absence in her life began haunting her.

"Do really comprehend what's going on? You're too caught up in your romance..."

"Everything doesn't just conveniently fall into place to create a "happily ever after" ending!"

Jamie's words echoed fiercely in her mind as well. And for the first time in her life, Lyla realized just how much love can hurt someone.

As time moved on, her guilt and concern for Jack gradually grew. Her time with Louis became less enjoyable, and the young inventor started to notice how "distracted" Lyla became. The couple felt their relationship couldn't go on this way, and eventually parted ways.

Crushed by his former love's newfound emotions, the troubled Louis went to his best friend Ann for emotional support, while Lyla confronted Jack with her own feelings.

Although she found a true soul mate in the new farmer, she was still troubled over toying with Louis' feelings and having to break up with him. Jack felt nearly as guilty as his sacrifice ended up doing more harm than good to the poor inventor.

To this day, even after their happy marriage, the loving couple is still concerned about Louis' well being.

_Author's Note: Okay, maybe this angsty reflection on the past wasn't as grand as I thought it could be. I got a little writer's block into trying to make this specific part good, which is why I ended up changing this from a one-shot to a few short Chapters. Still, I have a bad feeling I'll be confusing/disappointing people with this Chapter... er... sorry!_


	4. For the Sake of Jill

**Chapter 3**

"It's not like I completely disregarded Louis after everything I've done. To be honest, I feel bad that Jack's been trying even harder than me to make amends. I guess... I'm still afraid what would happen if we were to meet each other after what I did. I don't want to be a burden to him anymore" Lyla lamented.

"It would mean a lot to him if you tried. He forgave you a long time ago, and he still cares about you." said Jamie. "Still, it was probably a good move not to invite him to the wedding."

Lyla nodded. "For one who doesn't like talking to people, you seem to get around a lot."

"I just happen to be at the right place when something happens. You tend to overhear more things when you don't talk so much" Jamie answered.

For a while, both villagers withheld their words. The antisocial Jamie continued to eat his cake, while Lyla watched on in eerie silence. After taking a few more bites, Jamie took a near by napkin and whipped his frosting-covered lips.

"I don't know if now would be an appropriate time to ask this, but do you think we could be friends again? I'm not going to force you to get along with Darling or anything, but I missed the days you were good to me" she admitted.

Jamie took a deep breath. "With the Harvest Goddess resurrected now, would I really need to waste my time with a substitute?" he blatantly stated.

Lyla groaned. "I see, so he still hasn't forgiven me" she thought.

"Then again, she told me how happy she was when I was able to find my first human friend in the longest time. She insist I not give you up like that, so... we'll see..." he finished.

Lyla breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you..."

Jamie silently shook his head in response, and took of his cowboy hat. With empty plate in hand, he was just about to make his way to the kitchen sink when Lyla stopped right in front of him.

"That's okay. It was my dish to begin with, so---"

"It's fine. I ate out of it anyway, and besides, I already have a few dishes in the sink, anyway. It wouldn't be right to have a guest do my job." Jamie explained.

Lyla shrugged, and then stepped out of the way to let Jamie continue his chores.

As the rancher finally got the water running, Lyla recalled her original purpose for entering the Jamie Ranch.

"In all honesty, I really think you should tell Jill how you feel. It seems frivolous to keep it to yourself at this point." Lyla suggested.

Without uttering a single word, Jamie wiped a recently-washed cup dry.

"It's just... I know how Jill is the type of girl who's usually full of optimism, but at the same time, I feel that she would also keep personal problems to herself because of that."

Jamie reached for another dirty dish. "She voiced her fears to me one night... I know very well how she feels..."

"Then wouldn't it be better if you said something to her? I know this is a different situation that what I went through, but she deserves to know! She's still a girl! She's charging headlong into something she might not be able to handle!" Lyla pleaded.

The rancher snatched the dishcloth and started wiping the dish in hand. "My deepest feelings don't matter to her at this point. Besides, I have no right to dissuade her."

He then carefully placed the dish in storage. "Even if I owe him some gratitude, Jack took something important to me when he revived the Harvest Goddess. I'm not going to destroy her hopes... even if it seems hopeless."

Lyla stomped her foot on the ground. "Quit placing your sense of pride in this! Jack nearly broke his heart with his noble sacrifice, and I sometimes wish he had said something sooner! If Jill's willing to set herself up for such a fall, you can't be sure how well she'll be able to recover! Despite how much she trusts you now, she might not be able to face you if she gets depressed! Jamie, please don't let her slip away! It might cost her more than you realize!"

At last, the diligent rancher finished wiping the saucer that once held the chestnut cake given to him, and returned it to its proper owner.

"This has nothing to do with anyone's pride. I'm just honoring her decision..." Jamie simply explained.

Lyla exhaled out of grave disappointment, then turned around. She slowly made her way towards the big, violet door that lead to the outside.

"Jamie, I hope you know what you're doing, but I wish that wasn't your choice" she softly uttered.

Jamie shrugged. "I understand what I'm doing, and apparently, so does she." she pointed out.

Hesitantly, Lyla slowly opened the big door, which made a long, eerie creaking noise as it allowed ray of light shine in.

"Lyla" Jamie uttered.

Lyla quickly turned to see Jamie's face.

"Yes?"

The rancher cleared his throat.

"Thank you… for your friendship..." he called out. "And.." Jamie coughed, gagged, and muttered to himself in a disgruntled tone before straining to speak his last few words.

"Tell... Jack... "Thanks"... too..." hechoked deep regret.

Lyla managed a half-smile as she shed a single tear. "... You're welcome..." she uttered gratefully.

After finally taking that one last step in the outside, she gently closed the door, leaving Jamie to finish his day.

"Alone again..." he uttered with a sigh.

The lone rancher then took out a scrap of paper from his poncho and carefully scanned his list of things to do. He then marked off the piece of text that said "Dishes" and placed swiftly returned it in his adorning cloth. For a brief moment, Jamie stared at the door he sought to go through himself. He then made his way to a window and gazed meaningfully at Mt. Moon, in the direction of the Goddess Spring.

"How long are things going to remain this way?" he asked himself.

_Author's Note: And so... we reach the end of the focus on Jamie and Lyla. As I've said before, this ended up being fairly different than what I previously planned. I've noticed that the three characteres I've liked writing about in the MM world would be Jamie, Ray, and Dia for some reason. Speaking of Dia, since I've plunged into the world of "angst" yet again, I would like to put attention back on my previous story, "My Other Self". That's probably one of the most angst-filled stories I written, especially when it's about Dia possibly going insane,and I feel it's been shamefully ignored for some reason. Also, I've been enjoying all the recent Jamie stories that have been coming up, and I would like to say thanks to all of you Jamie fans for writing about our favorite androgynous Rancher. Anyway, look forward for the Epilogue, folks!_


	5. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

On the first floor of the Moonlight Cave Mines, a familiar bespectacled young man with black hair found an adventurous young lady with a red ponytail, more than ready to explore its depths.

"Ann! I didn't know you'd be here! I thought you'd still be busy at the Work Shop!" the young man exclaimed.

The young girl named Ann chuckled. "I got lucky today! Dad let me out early, so we can go explore the mines together, Louis!"

Louis grinned back in earnest as he bashfully rubbed his head. "Really?"

Ann swiftly whipped out a huge Gold Hammer and grasped the handle end by her chest. "It's only been a few seasons, but you're mood's really been improving lately! At least, I hope it is." she mentioned with a nervous laugh at the end.

Louis took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I guess so. Still, I wish it didn't have to end that way..." he sadly admitted.

Ann titled her head slightly and gave her friend a curious look. "You still got Lyla on the brain, huh? That's a bummer. For everybody's sake, Lou, just forget about it. Your lovely lady's committed to Jack, but you have your whole life ahead of you! Besides, you really shouldn't dwell over someone who did such an inconsiderate--"

"No," Louis interrupted "You weren't there with us when I went out with her, so you don't completely understand.

Ann glared at him in surprise.

"It's strange. Despite how I suffered when our relationship ended, I was happy to be with her. I was overjoyed to learn how compassionate she was at heart. Her beauty truly radiated when I finally got to know her. I could see in her eyes how much she didn't want to hurt me, but she was much too sincere a person denies the truth. In a funny way, I learned that day how selfish I was before. It still hurts, but I believe I grew as a person because of it." he confessed.

Ann slowly nodded as she made a silly grin. "Oh yeah, I remember how much you used to obsess over her looks before you two started going on. It was like, "She's oh-so beautiful!", or , "She's like a princess from a fairy tale!". I'm surprise you started acting more sane when you two got together! I was worried she'd reach "Goddess" status when she was your girlfriend!" she teased.

Louis gazed at the cavern's ceiling in deep thought. "Well, I was able to get a few things off of my chest thanks to her. I had... a few issues to work out from before I moved here" he softly uttered.

"Yeah. I remember in your sobbing period, when you told me a few things you told her, like how the people from the city thought you were gay! Just hearing that made me wants to march down there and punch those jerk's lights out!" she cried.

Louis chuckled. "I guess that's why I'm glad to still have you around. As my dear friend, you always find a way to cheer me up and inspire me." he responded.

Ann's face blushed slightly. "R-really? You've been feeding me compliments like that ever since we started working together, but Jack's been telling me how much you've been praising me behind my back! Geez, if I didn't know any better, I would've thought Lyla and you broke up because of me!" she said with a slight tone of anxiousness.

"Jack... yeah... I'm sorry I snapped at him for not being with you more. I sincerely thought the two of you were seeing each other, and I thought he started cheating on you with the other ladies in the village--"

"Just stop right there before you start rambling, Lou. Sure, the two of us had a lot of fun at first, but I knew neither of us had any romantic feelings like that. Still, getting to float that little boat down the river during that festival was fun. I also really enjoyed getting to make the little sucker!" she grinned.

"I guess... the two of us really care about each other, huh?" Louis calmly uttered.

Ann gave a slow, simple nod. "I guess we do..."

The cave became silent for a moment, as the two exchanged awkward glances.

After a long, Ann broke the silence with another chuckle.

"So, Lou, uh... you've been single for quite a while now. Don't you think you think you should be getting back in the dating game and find somebody? I mean, there are still plenty of single women around, so you have plenty of opportunities. Maria's still holed up in the Library, Nina's still prancing about like a little girl, and Eve's managed to stay single for a surpringsly long time. Well, there's Gwen, too, but I have feeling she's not really your type. See? There's still plenty of ladies around! Come to think of it, there could actually be one more lady that comes time mind..." Ann proposed in a suggestive tone.

Louis thought to himself for a moment, then looked deep in to Ann's expressive eyes. "Speaking of which, how's it going between you and Blue? I know the both of you have been fighting a lot lately, but everyone's been saying how well you secretly enjoy each other's company. And I agree. You two really look out for each other when something serious comes up, and I'm actually quite thankful to Blue for that!" he exclaimed.

Ann's face suddenly turned completely red, but she didn't seem one bit embarrassed. Both her fists clenched tightly, and a vein suddenly popped from her forehead.

"Wh-wh-what! Have the villagers really been spreading this lovey-dovey crap about me and Blue?" she shouted.

After seeing Louis' puzzled expression, Ann cooled just a little as she gazed at Louis with desperate eyes. "A-ah! Louis! You... you gotta listen to me! None of it is true! There's really nothing going on between Blue and me! To be honest, Lou, I---"

"Yo!"

The flustered couple turned their heads towards the stairs and see a perfectly content lady in her trademark green blazer making her way up.

"Rothe!" The two of them shout in unison.

"Yup!" she answered with a grin, "It is I, the young lady from the City of Asgard, come to mine for some minerals! And I've received quite a haul in this session!" she boasted as she opened her rucksack to reveal pieces of gold ore, topaz jewels, and, most notable of all, emeralds.

"Whoa! Rothe! You must've gotten really deep into the mines to get this kind of fortune! You're gonna be rich!" Ann shouted while trying to regain her breath.

"I guess I'm done for the day! If the two of you are ever need another buddy in exploring the mines, go ahead and let me know! I'll be more than happy to lend a hand!" she exclaimed. Inexplicably, she then turned away from the pair and waved her hand at a patch of darkness. "You too, Jill!"

"WHAT!" Ann and Louis cried out in unison.

Ann carefully laid down her hammer as she quickly took out a flashlight, twirled it around like a Western gun trick, and shone the light where Rothe was facing. And sure enough, the little farmer girl happened to be resting in that precise spot, but for some reason, she wasn't in her usually high spirits.

Instead, Jill was resting her butt on the heard surface with her knees brought close together right in front of her. Her big brown eyes, which usually glistened with merriment, gazed thoughtfully into the distance.

Curiously, the blazer-wearing miner slowly approached the little girl.

"Er, Jill... are you okay? I don't normally see you sitting around without even the slightest bit of pep in you!" said Rothe.

Jill's eyes blinked before turning her attention to the city girl at her sight. "Oh! Rothe, hello..." she answered wistfully.

Her once bleak expression then changed into a calm and gentle smile, which was still very uncharacteristic of the energetic farm girl.

"Okay..." Rothe said in an uneasy tone. "Did you loose sight of Ray or something? You know, he sometimes leaves the village to go fishing on an isolated island off of the coast. Maybe he caught a ride on his Dolphin buddy and is enjoying paradise on that little lump of land!" she explained nervously.

Jill shook her head. "No, I saw Mr. Ray toady. In fact, he was actually quite happy to see me today. He didn't faint like usually when I ran to hug him" she calmly answered.

"Really? That's nice! I guess your relationship with Mr. Fisherman is improving, huh?" Rothe cried in atonement.

Jill paused for a second, then shrugged. "I suppose so..." she answered back in her constantly composed tone.

For a split second, her unusually calm smile nearly dropped.

With her impeccable skills of observation, a concerned Rothe took note of this.

"Uh, okay... well then, did you enjoy yourself with him? Did the two of you get to fish together quietly?"

"N-no... not today..." Jill said in slight disappointment.

"Really, then what was Ray doing?" Rothe asked.

Jill lowered her had and thought silently to herself before delivering a decent answer. "Ray was at the waterfall, painting some lovely scenery. Some time ago, he was talking to Mr. Henry about art, and he's been doing a couple of paintings since then."

Rothe nodded, but still didn't quite understand Jill's sudden change of attitude.

"Oh yeah! I've started to notice that, too! It seems our local vagabond has found himself a new hobby, instead of just running around and fishing of course! By the way, how did the painting turn out? Do you think we have a budding artistic genius in our midsts?" she asked.

Jill's eyes narrowed as she vividly recalled Ray's painting in her mind.

"It was... the most amazing thing I've ever seen... and Ray looked so happy as he showed it to me. I doubt I've ever seen him like that since I first moved here..." she gently uttered.

Rothe then brought her face close to Jill to accurately analyze her emotions. "I don't get it. Jill looks completely touched by Ray's sudden interest in art, and yet I have this strong suspicion she wants to cry out the Amazon River right now! Is... is this supposed to be one of these "tears of joy?" moments?" she wondered.

Rothe grinned again. ""Amazing", huh? Now you've got me curious. After I get these ores and gems shipped, I'm going to find Ray and make him show me this painting of his!" she announced.

She was just about to dash towards the light of the cavern when Jill snatched one of her leg shins. "Please don't do that. He's keeping it for something special" she requested.

Rothe took one more look at Jill, and suddenly gazed at her understandingly. "Oh, okay. I'll do that" she assured Jill.

She then hoisted her treasure-filled rucksack behind her pack and turned towards Louis and Ann, who somehow managed to stay silent during the whole conversation.

"You two should probably move along and dig, already. I'll be loading these babies into the shipping bin and take a break at Cafe Callaway. I've also decided I shall be joining you after my little break. Part of me is curious what lies at the bottom" Rothe said. She then made her way out of Moonlight Cave to appreciate the sunshine once more.

"See ya guys later! And good luck in the mean time!" she cried out before heading towards her home on Flower Bud Point.

After the long exchange, Louis and Ann slowly made their way down the Cavern's first steps.

"Uh, Ann? Was there something you wanted to say to me before Miss Rothe interrupted?" Louis asked curiously.

Ann shook her head violently. "Ah... uh... never mind, Lou! Let's just find us some ores and gemstones, 'kay?"

Louis gave Ann a confused look. "Uh... okay..."

With everyone else gone from the Cavern's first floor, Jill was finally left alone. Her formerly composed smile dropped completely, and her eyes started tearing.

"That painting... wasn't meant for me" she uttered somberly.

At that moment, she could no longer hold back her worries. She buried her head in her knees and sobbed long and hard.

"I've tried so hard to be with Mr. Ray and make him happy. So why can't I say anything? Why am I holding myself back?"

For a long time, Jill could do nothing more then cry in the isolated darkness of the cavern.

_Author's Notes: Well, that's it. I've finished yet another one of my ridiculously short stories. What, were you expecting Jamie and Jill to hook up in the end? Of course not. This drawn out Saga with Jamie, Jill, and Ray still has much to be told. I've already read fics where Ray's future is destroyed, where Maria's romance is nullified, and Jamie dies for one reason or another. Will it be up to me to make Jill leap off of Mt. Moon to complete the circle of madness? Will Jamie end up alone and brooding when all is said and done? Who knows? All that matters for now is that I'm done with this story. Now I'm off to add Ciera the Scarlet Witch into the Harvest Moon Mix!_


End file.
